I have come to the conclusion that I do not enjoy writing about music, perhaps not as much as you do not enjoy reading my writing but that's besides the point. Before becoming a writer here at weshotjr I of course fantasied about becoming one, but I was much more interested in doing the Not New Music post where I could release my school girl adoration for albums I thought everyone deserved to hear before they died. While I was more than willing to take on the challenge of critiquing local and touring artist as well, I have always had a feeling that my musical taste were slightly askew of the general public's. Which in the end kept me excited and eager to write about the shows/artist that I did.
I can't stand music blogs, mainly the general purpose indie hit factory variety. The state of music blogging seems very stale to me. A race to see which site can post the latest "under the radar" video or attaching their domain name to a buzz worthy show. Very rarely do I see critical analysis, or even any kind of honest debate/thought that doesn't consist solely of reference to other artist and buzzy sub-genre names. After walking a mile in their shoes though, I don't blame them. As cliche as the line may be, Zappa said it best when we defined music journalism akin to "dancing about architecture".
Music is such a visceral experience to any true music fan. It is possible to pin point technical aspects of a song or album that turn you on but it is impossible to describe what is about certain music that just sucks you in. For the more technical minded people I can see how guitar virtuoso centered acts can be judged on their technical abilities as musicians, but for the most part music taste, just like love, makes very little sense. Although I feel like I have done a competent job articulating my point of view when it comes to music, I think it is too hard to do and takes the fun out of the music to a certain extent.
Having said this, I have decided to start a DFW centered movie blog. Although you may not be aware of it, the DFW is a very nice area to live in if you are a film lover. While we may not have any mom and pop indie theaters we do have two massive hulks - Magnolia and Angelika - that would make a cinephile in butt fuck Wisconsin eye balls explode.
So why write about film and give up music? I feel the cinema is a topic much easier to critique in an universal language that everyone can debate in. Even though I have had some great fun being a border line ass hole in my critique of some artist, especially local, about once a every couple months I have a little trouble sleeping when I think about some things I have said. Why it doesn't keep me from posting is because I believe an artist should never, ever be afraid of honest critique. I honestly do respect anyone who takes the time to create music to share with the world which makes it hard to label something created by someone else as garbage.
Also there is already alot of interesting stuff going on in the local scene, mainly with the Texas Theater, which I am sure will serve as great fodder for content. What I would really love to see is a place local film lovers and makers alike to have a place to congregate because I know most of us spend the majority of time alone with our projector and DVD player. I am even snobbier about moves than I am with music and would love to get in some discussions with you cats about film. It is easier to pin point what makes a good film versus what makes good music. This is something I will go into over on the blog at a later point, so instead of wasting my breath here I am going to direct you over to the URL http://phosphateonfilm.blogspot.com/ (which will drop the blogspot soon) and ask you to please come and visit November 4th when the blog officially launches.
What may interest you people who could give two shits about movies is that I will continue to do Monday Morning Rock at the new site. It will be the same format as it is here but maybe with links built in. The anonymous comments section will be open so if you need a place to vent there you go. Although I will not be doing Not New Music post obviously I will be doing (L)ost which is where I will be posting out of prints soundtracks with a write up about the music and probably the movie as well. Featured below is the prototype first (L)ost which can be found on the Phosphate on Film site but now also here.
You can become apart of the party with the Facebook group.
Not New Music
OST - The Sun of Dracula
1972 - Harry Nilsson/Ringo Starr
The early 70's were a wild and wacky time in cinema as the independent visions of auteurs were defining the standard for independent cinema for years to come. There were also numerous celebrities/musicians begging to burn out from years of drug abuse and made the financial decision to breach into the world of cinema. One of the many gems to come out during this wave was Son Of Dracula starring Nilsson as the young Dracula who longs to be a human capable of love and Ringo Starr as Merlin the Magician. The soundtrack is essentially a rehashing of songs from Harry's albums "Nilsson Schmilsson" and "Son of Schmilsson" with dialog interludes from the movie. There is one original song on the album, Daybreak, which is a typically delightful take on the highs and lows of vampire life. Surprisingly the musical selections and clips flow well into one another making for a fairly cohesive re-telling of the story. The film was directed by respected 60's B-Movie horror director and two time Oscar winning (Glory 89'/Sons and Lovers 60') cinematographer Freddie Francis.
Despite the chops of the personnel and the world's never ending love of vampire movies, this one has remained out of print for the past 25 years. So much like the rest of the world I have not had the chance to see this movie, there is a VHS release out there but is extremely hard to find. If anyone has the hookup let me know. While it's hard not to be interested in a vampire movie starring Harry Nilsson, the dialog from the movie - while fascinating - sounds pretty drug addled and non-nonsensical. Of course this doesn't have to be a bad thing. I'm just not expecting something of the caliber of The Point, Nilsson's more highly regarded foray into film. If you really want to see Ringo Star in a decent movie from this time check out Ken Russell's Lisztomania one of the finest pop art films of the early seventies, and another soundtrack I will be posting in the future.
As you can see not much going on tonight. I'll have a very special Not New Music up shortly which contains information about our future together in cyberspace. Also wanted to let you know that Wanz Dover's Blixaboy project released it's album Kliks & Politiks today which can be streamed on his website here. Over and out.
something i'm actually excited about: the orange juice box set
I'm one of those people that still buys things new, yeah, brand new, not used; box sets, cd and vinyl reissues etc. I'll admit it, I'm thirty years old okay? In fact I actually have a saying about thrift stores and dumpster diving: "If I hate most things new, why the hell would I like them any better used?" But that's just me. I received some pub mail today that made me do something I have never done in almost five years of working on this site: Install the HTML code for a "promotional widget." You see, one of my favorite bands of all time, Orange Juice, is releasing a definitive box set on Domino Records called Coals To Newcastle, and I couldn't be happier.
Orange Juice is what I would consider a "tattoo worthy band,"; that may be self explanatory but more specifically they are one of the few bands (and definitely one of the few pop bands) that exist in a small category of acts for which if you've taken the giant leap of getting their name or logo tattooed on you, I can't make fun of you. Other candidates include Swans, Savage Republic, The Ex, The Fall, Throbbing Gristle, and maybe the Magma logo, though that's pretty dorky. Cholas in Los Angeles with décolletage tats that say simply "MORRISSEY" in Olde English are also acceptable. This distinguished distinction is only for people with complete and impenetrable career arcs that never started wearing hockey jerseys onstage.
The group will be heavily featured in a new BBC documentary focusing on Scotland's underground scene during the Post Punk Era called "Caledonia Dreaming," and you are probably already aware of this band's influence on everyone from The Smiths to some modern acts that I won't taint this rare promo post with by mentioning.
This monster set has seven discs and also comes with promo clips for "What Presence?!" and "Rip It Up," as well as their complete performances on The Old Grey Whistle Test. Finally, it also includes the sought-after concert vid entitled "Dada With The Juice," as well as a ton of unreleased tracks. The set is out on November 22nd and will probably be the first Christmas gift I buy for myself.
White Denim | Elf Power | PVC Street Gang (The Loft) Wait, what does White Denim sound like again? I know I've written about them before but I can't really remember. Sigh. Guess I'll go listen again. I do a lot of shit for you guys, ya know that? Wait, didn't Gorilla vs Bear used to write about them sometimes? Oh now I remember. They had that song "Let's Talk About It" a few years ago. Are they on Casual Victim Pile? Um, nope, don't see em on the list. Bonus points for not being on that shit, but negative points for being "from Austin." I've listened to five of their songs and still can't think of anything to say. Is that saying something in and of itself? I guess so. Elf Power? Elephant 6 band. Think I used to listen to them sometimes too, can't remember. Feel like Hal when he's getting shut down.... things are moving sloooooowly.... some of the original members of Elf Power were also in Of Montreal. Cute. Minus 10 points, 9 of which are due to the fact that Kevin Barnes is a hipster libertarian who thinks "capitalism is a fun challenge." I hope the Bush tax cuts expire and that shitbag has to make drastic cuts in his monthly face paint budget. I don't think I'd hate the guy so much if he hadn't tried to defend his decision to sell a song to Outback Steakhouse with the kind of Intro to Macroeconomics arguments that most of our political leaders use to rape all of us in every way possible. Meanwhile Barnes dresses like a guy who rapes Unicorns. I'm listening to an Elf Power song called "Spiral Stairs." It's pretty good... sounds like T-Rex, which is alright by me. Now I'm listening to another song that sounds like a mixture of Yo La Tengo and World Party. What the hell am I supposed to do with that? Anyway, this is at the Loft, and I doubt I'd have a good time going to it, even after my third can of $5 bud light or whatever kind of overpriced bullshit they sell there. I'd probably watch the Rangers if I were still in Texas. In fact, I'm probably going to do that anyway.
MON: White Denim/Elf Power/PVC Street Gang (The Loft) WED: Sufjan Stevens (McFarlin Auditorium) THR: Thrones/Christian Mistress/Dead Mistress (The Nigthmare) FRI: No Thanks Fest (Emory, TX) FRI: Los Campesinos/Johnny Foreigner/Gentle Ghost (Granada) FRI: Free Energy/Foxy Shazam/Hollerado (The Loft) SUN: The Thermals/Cymbals eat Guitar/The Coathangers (Granada)
Pack of Wolves | Baring Teeth (The Nightmare) Austin's Pack of Wolves prove that thrash/black metal can sometimes be about as intimidating as a breakfast taco. And is there anything worse on the entire internet than a "professional" myspace page?
Manned Missiles | Spooky Folk | Babar | Peopleodian (Rubber Gloves) I refuse to search for a band called "Babar," sorry. And although I've heard them before, I hadn't realized until today that Spooky Folk sounds like Barenaked Ladies covering Jeff Buckley songs. Is this what "kids" listen to now?
The Toadies | Shiny Around the Edges | Here Holy Spain (Rockin' Rodeo) Sheesh. I used to like the Toadies when I was 15 but doesn't Razor Bladez or whatever his name is wear dragon shirts and shit now? And why does the Idol Records' logo make it look like a label that was started by Master P's broke ass cousin or some shit?
Tech N9ne | E40 (Ridglea Theater) This is without a doubt what I would do tonight if I were still around.
Some people read We Shot JR for the utilitarian aspect; the "It List" if posted promptly can lead you to your evening's activities; The Weekender might very well determine your inebriated trajectory for three whole nights; and Monday Morning Rock could very well do both. But I'm not always about that. We both know that. See, I'm not necessarily here to serve you. What have you ever done for me? With some notable exceptions, probably not much, besides insulted me in comments and sometimes even in person. But I'm into that. I'm sick like that. I feed off of your negativity. It means you can read, and you can pay attention, thanks to Anna ISD and Mesquite ISD and whatever lame suburb you came from before going to UNT. And for those quiet moments, you're all mine. And I love it.
The It List is more...conceptual to me. It bums me out in our last days to see us just posting names and nothing else. Because to me, that's not what WSJR is about. It's about everything else. It's about you reacting to a band name and getting pissed without hearing them. And you swearing up and down that some new genre that recently came into vogue is the halfhearted media fabrication of a bunch of lame intellectuals that imagine things into being without ever stepping foot outside of their overpriced lofts. It's about us "forgetting" to describe the music and talking about anything else. I know, I agree. So many times I've read an article and I'm screaming at the magazine or ripping off the phone film while exclaiming, "YES, BUT WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE, ASSHOLE?!" I know the feeling. I hate pretentious people just as much as you do, and I love them even more.
It's really awful that I'm posting this so late, I already know that. One of these shows has even started already. Now that bothers me a little. But overall, really? I don't care. When this works as a show listing hub, that's great. But it's not the point. What matters is the reaction. Otherwise, who cares? I've seen a million show listing sites come and go, and I hardly remember them because they weren't interesting. But it wasn't us that made this interesting. It was you. So, thanks. I mean that. I've defended all of your filthy tongues with so many Voltairian comebacks that it's really worn me out over the years. I think some of you are unbelievably mean-spirited but you're really nothing compared to what I put up with in my daily life. So, no big deal. Thanks for keeping my attention. I just felt like saying that, on with the list:
Not much going on today other than Singles Going Steady over at Rubber Gloves, but it looks like there are plenty of decent shows going on throughout the week.... maybe if you're lucky one of us might even write about a few of them.
MON: Chicken Little/Curtis Heath/Intent/Star Commander (1919 Hemphill) MON: Peelander-Z/The Mustache Club/We Are Brothers (Rubber Gloves) MON: The Futureheads (The Loft) WED: Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit/Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter/Mimicking Birds/Seryn (Haileys) WED: Mose Giganticus/The People Men/Naxat (1919 Hemphill) WED: Serena Maneesh/Wovenhand (The Loft) THR: Pack of Wolves/Baring Teeth (The Nightmare) THR: Manned Missiles/Spooky Folk/Babar/Peopleodian (Rubber Gloves) THR: Jessie Williams/Todi Stronghands/Adam and the Ancient Gods/37 Cents (Hot Box Pizza) THR: The Toadies/Shiny Around the Edges/Here Holy Spain (Rockin' Rodeo) FRI: The Vaselines (The Loft) FRI: Shapes Have Fangs/Rayon Beach/Kampfgrounds (Rubber Gloves) FRI: Jessie Williams/Todi Stronghands/Adam and the Ancient Gods/37 Cents (1919 Hemphill) FRI: Women/Manchild/Nervous Curtains (The Nightmare) FRI: Born Ruffians/Meligrove Band/Abacus (Haileys) FRI: Brave Combo/Burnt Sienna Trio/Welcome Signs/Mariachi Quetzal (The Barn) SAT: The Cocker Spaniels/Eat Avery's Bones/World Racketeering Squad (The Hydrant Cafe) SAT: Land of Talk/Suuns (The Nightmare) SAT: MVSCLZ/Sir Name & The Janes (Fallout) SAT: Azure Ray/Tim Fite/Nik Freitas (The Loft) SAT: Big Fiction/Young Livers/Innards/Prognosis Negative (1919 Hemphill) SUN: These United States/Thrift Store Cowboys/Warren Jackson Hearne (Haileys)
